Over the last few years of being on the water a lot, I have learned that catching fish is never the same for any two days. There are so many variables to consider, we just never get it completely right. When we think we got it, something changes and lets us know what we don't know. We can study maps and many times pick out the money spot right away but upon fishing it, find out that the fish are found at some other spot on the feature. Being one who wants all the fishing knowledge we can get, we start asking questions to why the fish are there, how did they get there, where are they when they are not on this spot on future trips and those questions never end. A person might think that because I have lived on my little 160 acre pond that I should know every inch of the bottom and every fish species location year around. I do know every feature well but that does not mean that I can predict ahead of time exactly what the fish are doing each and every day and seasonally. It a mater of fact that over the last year, I have realized that the LM bass can move pretty good distances over a short period of time in order to find a more fit place to survive when they are not the dominate fish in the lake. And more....... just because last year, the fish were in a certain spot or spots pretty much all summer long, do not expect the fish to take up residence in that spot the next year. I was always under the impression that the LM bass are born in one area , live in that area and die in that area and do not move around much like some of the other species. Two thoughts....... How difficult can it be to keep up with the locations the bass use in such a small body of water? The best answer is that it is big enough to create challenges (frustrations), that make you think and recheck until you get your answers or you don't get them at all. We do have guidelines that guide us through these challenges and for the most part, we may get some satisfaction from our study and what we learn on the water. There are so many variable to consider in some bodies of water that we may never figure everything out. In waters with the musky or northern pike, we may have to think where the bass could take up home where they are safe and do not get eaten. Take into consideration when you are fishing for the pike or musky where you do not catch them. What is different in that area? In lakes with a deep heavy weedline, for most of the time, the bass will be in and around these areas and casting will become a more effective way to find them. As you become more efficient at casting and locating the bass, you will realize how perfect a trolling pass will have to be to catch them and maybe realize that a trolled lure cannot be put into some of these situations. A weekend warrior may not ever get in tune with what the fish do with only getting to fish one or two days a week. Each weekend is like starting over to try and find out what the fish are doing. When you can be out there several days in a row and something changes, you get to see it and then the questions start to come into your brain on which condition caused things to get better or worse and how we may adapt to that change. Some of our questions may not be one of importance but then again, the desire to know is still there. Other things to consider in a natural lake with a deep weedline : The weedlines are not always the same year after year and especially when you add to that the weed spraying. You must consider where the spraying took place, what they are targeting and the end results of what is now dead and what areas have survived. The bass will end up in the heat of the summer where ever the deepest, thickest areas on or near a structure situation that have not been effected and are still green and full of life. The cold front is one of the things we keep an eye on because we know that pre-frontal conditions are better and post frontal conditions are not normally as good. Stability is the key and so we must also look at a weed spraying deal as what areas have the weeds died (unstable condition), and what areas have not been effected (more stable). It's a shame that we have to even think about this but as a fisherman, we are out numbered with votes and money. Done with that.
I have been blessed with being able to get to see what fish do, daily and seasonally and on a small body of water that you would not think could be such a great teacher for me. It has opened my eyes and thoughts and jump started my desire to learn more. Also made me realize that there are so many things we do not know or understand about what fish do and what you and I need to do to catch them. Mr. Perry gave us all the basics we need for success if we work hard enough to learn them. However, what has really hit me hard is the one thing that he said is our most important observation we can make and that is water color. When talking to Terry, every single lake he has ever made great catches on were on those with the best color. Time after time and why? The answer is that you can simply run the lures correctly and get the answers you need to become a pretty good spoonplugger. The clear lakes with weeds are truly not what these first spoonpluggers looked for. It is a fact that they would not get the boat off the trailer or rent a boat at all which is the way it was in those days. I would love to have a 3000 acre reservoir with good color right down the road that is full of big bass where I could go run the lures. 30 years ago, we had some of those lakes around and some of our best catches came from those lakes. That is all gone and replaced with gin clear lakes that would be full of deep weeds if the powers to be had not chosen to spray poison in them to make it all better as they believe. Done for now.
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
John